Headcollars - Page 4

...as I said ....each organization makes up it's own rules....I have been member of an organization in the US and I am fully aware that each organization has different rules...which shows that there is no general standard. But this leads too far off topic and this will be my last comment on this.

Thanks, Hexe. It's a poor trainer that's not willing to try something new, as long as it makes sense and is not abusive.  My problem is I paid $22 for something that was rendered useless in ONE session with the dog, and likely cannot be returned. I don't want to have that happen again, thus my reason for starting this thread.

This dog has learned to pull through being tied up all the time. She will even pull against the prong collar, and personally I think that is more likely to damage her neck than a head collar. I worked with horses for 15 years, and the only time I ever saw a horse injured by a head collar was when the horse got tangled in the chain attached to it!  And THAT was entirely the fault of the person who tied him up, then did not pay sufficient attention!

As for a dog fighting a head collar: ever watched a puppy on a leash and collar for the first time??  Same thing! They get used to it. It may take a bit longer with an adult dog. I have several dogs that come in here for boarding who never get walked and never wear collars. Handling them is NOT FUN! A dog will fight against anything that's strange and new.

$22 bucks! Ouch!  I think it's worth trying to return it to them--all they can do is tell you 'nope'.

That said, no matter what brand of head collar is used, the loop that encircles the muzzle will always have some degree of a 'tail' that the dog can grab, especially if the loop is set to be loose enough for the dog to completely open her mouth.  It needs to be adjusted so she can open her mouth enough to pant, but that's plenty, since you'll only be using it during training sessions.

 

This dog is SMART!  In one week, during which the weather went from ice storms to tornado-force winds and rain, which limited training opportunities, she's learned that 'platz' means 'down', and that if she brings the ball back to me, she will get a treat. (We are still working on the finer points, like actually sitting in front of me, instead of circling me a couple of times before offering the ball!)  I haven't tried to use any sort of 'force' such as tying her to a long line, as she loves to chase the ball, and I want it to be all fun for her. The finer points will come with time.

I just came in from a training session where I had 4 other dogs out in the runs nearby, and they were not being very quiet, either. She got distracted by them a couple of times, but it was more 'let's check this out' rather than 'let's hunt 'em down and KILL!'.  I had no trouble calling her attention back to me.

After about 10 or 15 minutes, I went in to get her some fresh water, and when I came back out, she was lying on the ground, well away from the other dogs, basking in the sun, and chewing on the ball!

The heeling, with prong collar and treats, went very well, though dispensing the treats is one thing I REALLY need to work on. When I went to reward her for a super-nice, very fast 'platz', the hotdog bit hit the ground, and rolled 3 feet away, with predictable results!

Someone has worked with her in the past. She already knew 'sit' and 'down' when I brought her home, and someone in the shelter had taught her to take a treat gently.

The weather's so nice, we might even try our first track (scent pad) today! 

I suspect this is the rescue girl you recently got.  I hope you are able to solve this.  Please keep this thread going to resolution as it is good info for others.

A suggestion......
 
I use a soft muzzle when I am in public with Baron (my older male).  This is purely to protect others.  He can open his mouth just enough to pant.  Maybe something like this while you are training her to protect other dogs in case she gets loose.  

It sounds like positive training is working out.  It just maybe a very long time before she can be around other dogs and maybe never without supervision.

Fawn, the soft muzzle is what I used later today for her first trip to the dog park. We sat in the back of my SUV, and watched the dogs coming and going. I fed her lots of hotdog bits for focusing on me, and not the other dogs. The one disadvantage of the muzzle was if it was tight enough to prevent her from biting, it also prevented her from panting. Ihave a basket muzzle I can use for warmer weather, though.

Of course, some idiot had to come along with his out of control OFF LEASH dog. The dog put his paws up on the bumper, and damn near jumped into the SUV with us, Gracie went NUTS, and so did I!

"Conrol your dog, please!"

"Hey, hey, chill out! If your dog's that bad, you shouldn't have it here!"

"In case you haven't notices, she's wearing a muzzle, AND a leash! I'm doing everything I can to keep things safe. Now get your dog AWAY from her!"

He and his friends were playing with their dogs off leash in an area which is not fenced, and NOT designated as an off-leash area. He passed the word on to them, and when they left, their dogs were all leashed, and they kept them at a respectful distance. Gracie was fine with that. But I have the name of the lady who is in charge of the dog park, and I'm going to report them.  "Off leash" does NOT mean 'off leash in the parking lot, as well as the designated dog park area'!

I bought a head collar once, because someone convinced me it was a good idea. LOL It took about 7 seconds for it to have been rendered useless. And I think I paid $35 bucks for those 7 seconds!

Interesting.  Here is a picture of the muzzle I use.  Knock on wood, Baron has never challenged it.  Is this the same thing you used?  If so, glad to know it will not stop the bite; I will need to find something else for my Baron.  I so would not like to use the hard muzzles, but if it is a matter of safety, I'll have no choice.

UGH, Stupid people.  It is because of them, more and more places are not allowing dogs.  It is as much because of stupid people than his unpredictability that Baron rarely gets to go any where with me.

I hope your friend is able to do something to reinforce the leash restrictions.